Digest of administrative reports to the Governor

296 Pages·1996·24.2 MB·English

Digest of
Administrative
Reports
to the Governor
University of Connecticut
Men's Basketball and
Women's Basketball
Big East Champs 1995-96
John Rowland
li.
Governor

STATE OF CONNECTICUT
DIGEST
of
ADMINISTRATIVE
REPORTS
to the
GOVERNOR
1995-96
Volume L
Published at
HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT
November 1996
Published under the direction
of
Barbara A. Waters
Commissioner
Department ofAdministrative Services
Departmentof
Administrative
Services
Compiled by the
Department ofAdministrative Services'
Communications Unit
Donna J. Micklus
Editor
About the Cover
The University ofConnecticut
men's and women's basketball
teams are to be congratulated for
an extraordinary 1995-96 season. For
the first time in history both were simul-
taneously ranked number one in national
polls and both captured the title ofBig
East Champs.
The voices ofcheering fans, young
and old, will long be heard echoing from
the rafters ofGampel Pavilion and the
Hartford Civic Center as Connecticut
salutes these outstanding young men and
women.
Cover: Big East Champs by Nina Ritson of
the Department ofAdministrative Services.
STATEOFCONNECTICUT
EXECUTIVECHAMBERS
HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT
JohnG.Rowland
Governor
November 1996
This year marks the fiftieth anniversary ofthe Digest of
Administrative Reports to the Governor.
It was first published a halfcentury ago, primarily as a
compendium offacts and figures for a part-time legislature that
lacked the rapid capability ofinformation exchange oftoday's
technologically advanced environment.
No longer merely a storehouse for statistics, the Digest
has now become a vehicle for state agencies to report on what
they are doing to make government more efficient - to get rid of
waste and redundancy and be more accountable to Connecticut's
taxpayers. Government institutions, like private industry, must be
more competitive in their efforts to provide quality customer
service ifthey are to survive in the 21st century.
The Digest not only reflects the emerging profile ofour
state government, it also reflects the hard work ofstate employ-
ees who are rising to meet the challenges ofchange. They are to
be commended for their dedication to public service, the founda-
tion for Connecticut's future.
John G. Rowland
Governor
Table of Contents
Academic Awards. Board for State Higher Education, Board ofGovernors 131
Accountancy, Board of 218 Historical Commission, Connecticut 134
Administrative Services, Department of 10 Human Rights and Opportunities,
Agricultural Experiment Station 18 Commission on 139
Agriculture, Department of 21 Insurance Department 145
Arts. Connecticut Commission on the 27 Insurance Purchasing Board, State 152
Attorney General, Office ofthe 31 Labor, Department of 154
Auditors ofPublic Accounts 40 Legislative Management, Joint
Banking. Department of 42 Committee on 162
Blind. Board ofEducation and Medical Examiner, Office ofChief 164
Senices forthe 47 Mental Health, Department of 166
Children and Families, Mental Retardation, Department of 173
Department of 52 Military Department 176
Claims Commissioner, Office of 54 Motor Vehicles, Department of 179
Community-Technical Colleges, Parole, Connecticut Board of 182
Board ofTrustees 56 Police Officer StandardsTraining
Comptroller, Office ofthe 63 Council 183
Connecticut Siting Council 67 Policy and Management, Office of 185
Connecticut State University 69 Properties Review Board, State 189
ConsumerCounsel, Office of 71 Protection and Advocacy for Persons
Consumer Protection, Department of 73 with Disabilities, Office of 190
Correction, Department of 80 Psychiatric Security Review Board 192
Criminal Justice Commission 88 Public Health, Department of 194
Criminal Justice, Division of 89 Public Safety, Department of 205
Deafand Hearing Impaired, Public Utility Control, Department of 209
Commission on 90 Public Works, Department of 210
Economic and Community Development, Revenue Services, Department of 214
Department of 93 Secretary ofthe State 218
Education, Department of 98 Sheriffs Advisory Board 223
Elections Enforcement Commission, Social Services, Department of 224
State 102 Soldiers', Sailors' and Marines' Fund 234
Employees' Review Board 104 Special Revenue, Division of 236
Environmental Protection, State Employees Retirement
Department of 105 Commission, Connecticut 238
En\ironmental Quality, Council on 121 State Library, Connecticut 241
Ethics Commission, State 123 Teachers' Retirement Board 244
Finance Advisory Committee 124 Transportation, Department of 246
Fire Prevention and Control, Treasurer, Office ofthe State 258
Commission on 125 University ofConnecticut 263
Firearms Permit Examiners, Board of 129 Veterans' Affairs, Department of 267
Freedom ofInformation Commission 30 Workers' Compensation Commission 270
1
Health Care Access, Officeof 137 Appendices - AgencyTables 273
DIGES1 01 \H\1I\IS IRA 1I\ -RKPORIN
[
Board for State Academic Awards
At a Glance Mission
MERLEW HARRIS,ExecutiveDirector •offercoherent,college-levelcur-
RichardJ. H.amilton,AssociateExecutive ricula anddegreeprograms which
Director incorporatetransfercredit, exami-
Established' 1973 nations,andothermethodsofcredit
Statutory authority - Sec. 10a-143 and competency validation;
Conn.Gen.Stat. • develop validandreliabletests
( entraloffice- 66 CedarStreet. andothermethods to evaluateand
\e\vington,CT06111 assess experiential and
Averagenumberoffull-timeanil extracollegiate learning as alter-
part-time employees - 28 natives to classroom study; • pro-
Recurring operating expenses, 1995-96 - videaccess to educationallysound
BSAAOperatingFund-SI.3million learningthroughavarietyofmeans
Organizationstructure- Mainofficeand including video, computer-arid
four regionaloffices otherelectronically-mediatedtech-
nologies; • nform and guide the
publicaboutopportunitiesforearn-
ing credentials by alternative
means; •providetestingandcredit
bankingservices, andinformation
regardingsuchservices,tothepub-
lic; • extendaccessto higheredu-
cation to all adults who demon-
strate the ability toperform on the
collegiate level and to foster en-
rollmentandgraduationofdiverse
populations; and • encourage in-
novation in meeting the needs of
adult learners and to serve as an
advocateforadultlearnersinhigher
education.
StatutoryResponsibility
TheBoardforStale.AcademicAwards(BSAA),establishedin 1973bytheConnecticutGeneral
Assembly, pro\ides diverse and alternative opportunities for adults to earn degrees. The
Board accomplishes its mission through Charter Oak Slate College. Relying on thejudgment of
professional educators, the Board validates learning acquired through examinations, independent
stud>. work experience, noncollegiate-sponsored instruction and traditional study. In all of its
activities, the Board for State Academic .Awards rigorousl) upholds standards o\~high quality and
seeks to inspire adults with the self-enrichment potential ofnontraditional higher education. The
BSAA isinformed inallactivitiesb) itsStatutory responsibility asreflected in itsmissionstatement.
CharterOak State College benefits its customers as follows
Graduates: CharterOak'sdegree providesaccess tograduate school and careeradvancement
1*0datetherehave been morethan 4.000graduatesofCharterOak State College. 249graduated in
'<v I 1.6percentwereminorit) students. Over40percentofCharterOakbaccalaureatedegree
graduatesenroll ingraduateschool iminediatcl\ upongraduation;43percentofitsgraduatesreceive
professional and financial recognition from their employers or find a job immediatel) upon
graduation
students BecauseCharterOak doesnot limittheamount ofcreditsastudentma) transferfrom
regional!) accredited institutions nor docs Charter Oak have a residenc) requirement, students
usuall) cancompletetheirdegreeprogrammorequick!) herethanelscwhereandatamoremoderate
cost CharterOak program isdesigned to accommodate thoseadults who work full-time and have
famil) and financial responsibilities In 1995-96 Charter Oak provided access to a high quality
DIGEST OF ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS
undergraduate degree program for 1.290 adults. The College accomplishes this by providing an
alternate\\aytoearnanassociateorbachelor'sdegreeusingtransferredcredit,universitycorrespon-
dencecourses,noncollegiatesponsoredcoursesincludingthoseofferedthroughthemilitaryservice,
Independent Guided Study (IGS) courses, testing, portfolio assessment and contract learning.
PublicService
CharterOakconductsinstitutionalresearchandhasongoingassessmentactivitiesusingsunc\s
to graduates, employers, graduate schools, accepted applicants and withdrawing students to
determine the effectiveness of its curriculum and services. Using the results ofthese surveys,
improvementsand new initiativesareeffected.
Students. BasedonfindingsfromCharterOakresearchgrantfromtheNationalCenteronAdult
Learning(NCAL)thatexaminedbarrierstopersistenceinanexternaldegreeprogram,andfromresults
ofasecondresearchproject,conductedbytheNew EnglandAdultResearchNetwork(NEAR-Net)
thatprovidedinformationonfactorscontributingtoadults'persistenceinundergraduateprograms,
CharterOak isnowworkingonan instrumentforenteringstudentsthatcouldhelpidentifybarriers
totheirsuccessfulcompletionofanexternaldegreeprogram. Thiswouldfacilitateearlyintervention
b\ academicadvisors.
Non-enrolled Students. Duringthis past year, the College offered information and guidance
senicestoover3.500non-enrolledstudentsinConnecticut;manywerereferredtootherConnecticut
publicandindependentinstitutions. Specialon-siteinformationandguidanceserviceswereprovided
to over 150 minority students at community centers, churches, social service and educational
organizations;informationandguidanceserviceswereprovidedtoover250peopleinadulteducation
programs in 13 Connecticuttowns. Ofthe 1.367 testsCharterOak administered. 40 percentwere
tostudentsenrolledatotherConnecticutcollegesanduniversities. CharterOakalsoprovidescredit
banking senices for individuals, including Connecticut teachers, who wish to record academic
achievement on a transcript.
StateAgencies. Information servicesand resourcematerials wereprovidedtothe Department
ofLaborOneStopCenters,totheConnecticutRehabilitationServices,totheDepartmentofChildren
andFamiliesandtheDepartmentofMentalRetardationinWillimantic,theDepartmentofEconomic
Development and to various Department ofCorrection facilities.
ConnecticutCollegesand Universities. In 1992.theBoardofGovernorsforHigherEducation
recommendedthatCharterOakplayasignificantroleinassessingpriorlearningforothercolleges/
universities using noncollegiate review services and portfolio assessment. In response to that
recommendation,during1995-96theCollegereviewednoncollegiateprogramsfromtheFirstBaptist
Church School ofMinistry in Hartford. Data Institute in East Hartford and the Capitol Region
EducationCouncil(CREC)inWindsor. TheseassessmentsweresharedwithallConnecticutcolleges
and universities.
Charter Oak has laid the ground work to expand its existing articulation agreement with
NorthwesternConnecticutCommunity-TechnicalCollegetoothercommunity-technicalcollegesso
as to facilitate transferofassociatedegree students into CharterOak baccalaureate programs.
Corporations. Informed by the need for an educated workforce. Charter Oak worked in a
cooperateeeffortwith TheCollegeBoardtobringtheCorporateCLEPtestingprogramtoemployees
in the workforce. Using tests to earn credit is cost-effective for employers and time-saving for
employees. In recognition of corporate efforts to promote and support education for their
employees, CharterOak and The College Board presented the CLEP Exemplary Award to SNET
and Northeast Utilities.
Through the Connecticut Economic Resource Center data base. Charter Oak promotes its
designation by the American Council on Education (ACE) as ACE's Connecticut evaluator of
corporate and nonprofit coursesand programs for collegecredit.
Improvements/Achievements 1995-96
ContinuousQuality Improvementmethods.staff/Board/facultyinput,research,andgraduateand
student surveys informed the following improvements/achievements:
1 The final report for the New England Association ofSchools and College's fall 1996
accreditation visit wascompleted. AsaresultofCharterOakevaluation ofprogramsandservices,
strategies for improvementswere incorporated intotheCollege 1996-2002 Strategic Plan.
2. AdevelopmentplanwaswrittentoidentitydonorsandsecuremoniesforCharterOaknew
buildingto be completed in 1998. fortechnical needsand forstudent financial assistance.